Utah Students Win at National History Day
 Utah History Fair students parading at the National History Day in Washington, D.C. |
Six Utah students placed at the 2008 National History Day competition in Washington, D.C.
Including Zara Zemmels, who took first place in the nation!
 Zara Zemmels receives first place honors. |
Other cases of attempted censorship included bands such as Peter, Paul, and Mary and their song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Zemmels performed parts of lyrics while strumming on her electric guitar. Zara first came up with the topic of music censorship while doing volunteer work for a youth radio program on the local KRCL 90.9 where she learned about Federal Communications Commission guidelines.
When she first began her project she was adamantly against music censorship, but having researched both sides now says, “Right now I’m kind of in the middle, because there are valid arguments on both sides." Her research included books, music, data on related legal battles, and even interviews with local disc jockeys. See Zara’s performance.
 Johnathon and Julia Stock with Sen. Orrin Hatch |
Julia Stock and Johnathon Stock, LIGHT Educational Co-op, placed seventh in the nation in the Senior Group Exhibit category with their exhibit “The Six Day War: Conflict and Compromises That Redefined Peace in the Middle East.” Julia and Johnathon also received the Outstanding State Entry Award for the Senior Division. Julia noted, “I enjoyed working on this project because I didn’t really know anything about the Six Day War before I started. Because of our research, I learned so much, not only about the Six Day War, but about all of the other conflicts that have happened in the Middle East.” Johnathon commented, “Before doing this project I had no idea of the conflicts that have happened between the Israelis and the Arab World. This project gave me a new understanding.” Julia and Johnathon are eligible for a two-year full-tuition scholarship to Utah State University. See Julia’s and Johnathon’s exhibit.
 Amelia Weixler performing. |
Amelia Weixler, Bryant Middle School, placed ninth in the nation in the Junior Individual Performance category with her topic “Riveting Rosie: Compromising Their Traditional Roles as Women Come to the Rescue During the Conflict of World II.” Amelia also received the Outstanding State Entry Award for the Junior Division.
Amelia said her project evolved after she saw a poster of Rosie the Riveter and wondered what it meant. During Amelia’s performance she dresses as a worker in an aircraft factory. Weixler talks of her feelings on her new patriotic jobs, noting facts such as 16 million women were in the American work force in 1943. For part of her performance she dresses as a black female worker speaking out in protest of discriminatory workplace practices such as less pay and fewer privileges. For her research Weixler interviewed some women who were riveters during WWII. Weixer learned wartime actions, “pushed the boundaries for what women could do and where women could work.” Ameilia is eligible for a two-year full-tuition scholarship to Utah State University. See Amelia’s performance.
 Haley Parker, award-winning writer |
"As I spoke with local historians, read through county journals, searched through newspaper archives, and read through county books and interview transcriptions for this project I truly began to enjoy history. For me, my project became something beyond dates, numbers, and facts. It was real, full of actual people with their own personal triumphs and losses. The amazing thing for me to see is the impact that my topic (uranium mining) continues to have on my community, and on the larger world. The school buildings being used in my county, for instance, are the same ones that were built in the 1960s from taxes generated by the uranium boom; many county services (garbage, recreational, etc.) are funded now by a trust fund established off of uranium profits made fifty years ago; and from a wider perspective, uranium is rapidly being thought of as a viable source of energy as our nation struggles to compensate for rising gas prices. So yes, history denotes the past, but as such, it is also a very real part of the present.” Read Haley's paper (pdf).
 Kaden Groves ponders |
Kaden Groves, American Fork Jr. High School, placed thirteenth in the nation in the Junior Individual Documentary category with his topic “Bacon’s Rebellion: The Selfish Conflict.” Kaden also won the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Early American History Award along with $1,000. Kaden spent 150 hours researching Bacon’s Rebellion for his documentary. It is a tale of conflict between Nathaniel Bacon and the governor, also involving American Indians in Jamestown, Virginia. Kaden shared that, “It was amazing to win an award at a national competition! What an honor! For the award I was given a medal and $1,000! I was surprised to win this award. There were so many excellent projects.” Kaden plans to use his award money for education, charity, and to buy a basketball standard. He recommends, “If you are interested in participating in National History Day, go for it! It will be a lot of work, but in the end, you’ll be happy you did! Who knows, you may even make it to Washington, D.C.!” Watch Kaden's documentary.
Utah State History/Utah State Historical Society is a proud sponsor of the Utah History Fair
We support the Utah History Fair through the Utah State Legislature by giving $21,000 annually, providing judges, and help with student research. These national finalist students were all given a complimentary one-year membership in the Utah State Historical Society.
The path to National History Day is an arduous road. Utah’s students participate first at their local school level where winners then gather at one of ten regional competitions held throughout the state. Top regional students move on to the state level where the national representatives are selected. The Utah History Fair allows students in grades 4-12 to create research related history projects in a category that reflects their interests and relates to the specific theme of the National History Day competition. This year’s theme was “Conflict and Compromise in History.” Categories include documentary, exhibit, historical paper, performance, and web site, either individually or in a group.
“In order to be competitive, the students must apply critical thinking skills, exceptional writing, creativity, organization, and historical research methodology skills. The students who participated at the National History Day competition exhibited all these skills.” reports Nicholas Demas, director of the Utah History Fair.
Learn more about the Utah History Fair here.